Super Mario RPG 2: Smithy's Revenge
by Dark Cloud628
Summary: The title is pretty unofficial, but I can't think of anything better yet. Anyone who's ever played this game has been dieing for a sequel. I know I have! Mario and his friends battle Smithy once again, but the story goes deeper than ever. R&R please!


The stars glistened over their heads as the princess spread the sheet on the soft grass. They'd been planning this for quite awhile now, but with all the trouble Bowser had been causing, they'd been busier than ever. They were thankful they finally had this time to spend privately. Mario laid the basket down on the sheet and sat down beside Toadstool. She let out a sigh as Mario unpacked the food and laid it before them. "This starlight picnic was a great idea, princess." She looked over to him. "I know. This is exactly what I needed, and well deserved for both of us." She smiled at Mario.

They sat and talked and ate, well into the night. "I can't believe Bowser hasn't shown up to spoil this yet." said Mario. "Don't jinx it Mario. For once, we actually get to settle down and all you can do is question why something hasn't gone wrong yet?" Mario frowned at her. "I'm sorry. It's all just so overwhelming. I could put rescuing you on my resume, I've done it so many times." he smiled sheepishly. The princess did not look amused. "Mario, we were just having some wonderful, serious discussion. Why do you always have to be such a... comedian?" Mario, sensing that she might be about to lose it, took her hand and gently said "Oh, come on. You know you're the top person on my list of people I care about..." She looked at him oddly, questioning his choice of words. Sure enough, he just couldn't resist. "... Of course, you're the only person I have to care about, what with your constantly getting kidnapped and all." Just then, Mario had a premonition. It was a premonition that said "I'm going to have a large bruise on my head if I don't stop there." So he did. He smiled a smile more sheepish than the previous one. "Eh-heh... I love you?"

The princess rolled her eyes. "Are you finished? Cause I have something I want to say, and it's not a joke." Mario questioned what she meant, but just sighed and remained silent. Finally, she broke the silence. " Mario... I've been thinking lately. I know we both have alarmingly busy lives, but we've been in this awkward limbo for years and..." Mario's eyes widened and he looked at her as he realized what she was saying. What followed was more silence, this time in which Mario searched for a way out of the conversation. Finally he saw his answer in the sky. "Look! A shooting star! Make a wish!"

And at that moment, a wave of memories came flooding back to him. It was a wave of memories he could not soon forget. Something strange happened in his memories this time though. They were followed by a strange red blur that happened about the same time he snapped back to reality.

"Mariooo!" yelled the princess. Mario shook his head and the images faded. "What's... this?" he asked, still somewhat dazed. And as he looked around, he noticed he was no longer sitting on the picnic sheet. He felt as though something cold and metallic was gripping him tightly. "You never were fast enough to catch us... you just got lucky!" Who was this person, he thought. If he hadn't been daydreaming he may have caught who snatched him. Then suddenly, he made the connection. "A red blur... you're..." But he was cut off.

"That's right! The Axem Rangers are back and better than ever!" Mario breathed hard as the flood of memories came back again, all of them leading back to the same person.

"Smithy?!" he demanded. "Nooo, we rebuilt ourselves. Of course it's Smithy! You better believe he's back in action!" Meanwhile the princess was going through the memories in her head as well and trying to regain her composure. She finally spoke. "But how? We destroyed that hunk of metal?" Axem Red went into a villainous explanation.

"You are wrong my dear. For you see, you did a great number to our master and his factory, but what you failed to realize when you left, was that he was not completely shut down. Granted he was in critical condition, his remaining minions gathered their strength and energy to save him. Upon success, he was able to instruct them from an incomplete form. He began by relocating, and then rebuilding. He is not yet at full power, but production of new weapons like me have been in production for quite awhile now. And his first order of business... revenge on you!"

The princess listened to this with great solace. It was all happening again. Their first battle against Smithy had been no walk in the park either, but to have to fight him again? Mario always found the time to slip in a joke, even in a time like this. "I sure hope this guy isn't going to be as persistent as that overgrown Koopa!"

Axem Red had had enough of this banter. "Before I kill you, there's one thing you should know. I'm sure you've noticed my new look. We as a whole are no longer just the Axem Rangers, we are now the Axem Rangers X!" Mario rolled his eyes. "That's real fancy of you. What, the letter 'L' is to good for you? It sure would suit you better." Axem Red X said nothing, but simply kept his hold, lifted his gun arm and began to charge a shot. "Goodbye Mario."

At that particular moment, Mario was again unsure of what had happened. Whatever it was, he had somehow ended up on the ground, with the robot passed out beside him. However, it all made sense when he saw the princess holding a frying pan. "You... you really just did that?" "I never leave home without it. Keeps the pidgies at bay. Now come on let's hurry back to the village before he wakes up." They quickly gathered their things and set forth for the Mushroom Kingdom Village.

"Thank you princess, but I can't get over the feeling."

"The feeling? Of what?"

"Deja vu."

"Don't you worry about a thing, Mario. If we beat that old bucket of bolts once, we can do it again. I just hope the Star Road is intact..."

"We can only hope."

"No, Mario... we can only wish."


End file.
